LANSING – As the emerald ash borer continues its march through Michigan’s ash trees, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has revised the state’s Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine to better reflect where Michigan is in its battle against the beetle. The quarantine revision now includes four additional counties in the Upper Peninsula – Baraga, Dickinson, Marquette and Menominee.

MDARD is revising its quarantine based on EAB detections made during United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (USDA-APHIS)-led summer trapping and surveillance efforts. EAB was detected on USDA-APHIS panel traps in Dickinson and Marquette counties. The two positive traps in Marquette County were in the city of Marquette and northwest of the city of Marquette. The one positive trap in Dickinson County was near Norway.

Although there were no positive trap catches in Baraga and Menominee counties, they are close enough to infested counties that there is a low level of confidence that EAB is not already there.

Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon counties will remain un-quarantined. The movement of regulated articles from the quarantined counties in the Upper Peninsula into Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon counties is prohibited unless done under a compliance agreement issued by MDARD’s Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division.

Firewood that has been certified for the Federal Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine by USDA-APHIS is exempt if it is packaged, bears a USDA compliance stamp and is clearly marked with the producer’s name and address.

“The quarantine revision continues to protect the ash resource in Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon counties, while recognizing the changing landscape due to EAB infestations,” said Gina Alessandri, Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division Director. “Additionally, the new quarantine will ease the regulatory burden placed on Michigan’s forest-based businesses and individuals moving forest products within the state.”

The Lower Peninsula continues to be quarantined in its entirety and is designated as the Quarantine Level I area. Movement of articles regulated by the EAB Quarantine can only move from the Quarantine Level I area in the Lower Peninsula into the Upper Peninsula if done under a valid MDARD Compliance Agreement.